WATCH - Liam Charnock glad to be back in the thick of it with Leeds Chiefs

Having graduated from university and gone straight into a full-time job, the 24-year-old winger didn’t think he would have the time, maybe even the desire, required to spend half his weekends squeezed onto a coach travelling to and from games, as well as attending two or more evening practice sessions during the week.

Four weeks into the 2019-20 NIHL National season, however, Charnock realised he missed the game too much and that he could, in fact, make time for the sport he loved.

A series of telephone calls had already taken place over the summer with Leeds Chiefs’ player-coach Sam Zajac and after a couple of practice sessions with his prospective new team-mates in Blackburn, he was back doing what he knows best.

You could say his arrival had an instant impact. Charnock’s first appearance in a Chiefs shirt may have given him an early reminder of the kind of long coach journeys he nearly left behind when he joined them for the seven-hour round trip to face Raiders IHC.

But the trip home was an enjoyable one. Having gone without a win in their first five games, Charnock found himself a part of the Chiefs’ historic first-ever win and a handsome 4-0 one at that.

One-goal defeats to much-fancied Swindon Wildcats and Hull Pirates followed before the Chiefs’ first-ever four-point weekend arrived with wins over former club Sheffield and Milton Keynes Lightning.

That was enough to lift the Chiefs off the foot of the NIHL National table, all too briefly, however, as a run of one win in six games has since sent them back there.

But, despite the inconsistency, despite the lack of a rink to play in or practice out of - there is still no opening date for the Chiefs’ Elland Road venue - Charnock remains optimistic about the team’s inaugural season and their bid to make the playoffs.

“I do think we’re doing well,” said Charnock. “Sammy has done a really good job of putting this team together this year and he didn’t have a very big window to put together the team, but we’ve got a strong group here.

“The situation was that I’d been at Steeldogs for the last four years or so and then I graduated this year and was working full-time.

“So I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to do all the commuting and the away games and spending my weekends on buses and things - but I realised four weeks into the season I wasn’t doing anything else with my life, so I thought I would try and get back into it.

“Sammy was speaking with me on and off over the summer and so I knew there was interest there and I had the itch to get back.

“I like Sammy, I’m happy to play for him and I already knew a few of the lads as I used to train with them in Blackburn and Bradford over summers when we were growing up. I’m really glad to be here.”

Charnock has faced-off against his former club four times since returning to the ice, winning twice and losing twice.

He scored his first goal as a Chief in Sunday’s 5-2 defeat at Ice Sheffield, that setback coming 24 hours after Leeds had won 6-5 in overtime against their Yorkshire rivals on ‘home’ ice in Blackburn.

Charnock admitted it felt strange going into the visitors’ locker room the first time he returned to play his former club, but is now firmly focused on helping make the Chiefs’ first season one to remember.

“Four years is a long time, you think of how many games that is during - it was a lot of time spent with the people on the other side of the ice,” he added.

“But I’m more than happy with the way things are going in Leeds. We are only training once a week at the minute, so it is tough and every game is like an away game at the moment.

“But getting into the new rink will help with building chemistry on your lines and special teams, stuff that we don’t get as much chance to work on as we’d like at the moment.

“We were all really down about losing to Sheffield on Sunday, obviously, but we are going to be fighting for one of those playoff spots.”

Coach Sam Zajac happy with Charnock's direct and smart approach

SAM ZAJAC believes there is plenty more to come from Liam Charnock having had the desired impact since his arrival in mid-October.

The Leeds Chiefs’ player-coach says the former Sheffield Steeldogs’ winger has teamed up well on the third line with Joe Coulter and Brodie Jesson - another mid-season arrival to make a good impression.

“I love what Liam brings to the team - I thought he had a great weekend for us,” said Zajac. “He’s direct, he’s strong, he makes good, smart plays and keeps it simple.

“He could skate all night, which is what you want and we looked tired at times in the second period on Sunday and he was one of the guys who helped us win battles, got pucks out when we had to and help us get up the ice and gain a bit of territory.

“So I’m really happy with how Charns is doing, that line he’s on has clicked really well.”